Powder Blue and Green + Style With a Smile Link Up

You may remember me previously mentioning my favourite shop in Funchal, Madeira, where I buy several pieces each time I visit. Well, one of the brands they stock is Elsa. M by May. Over the last few years I’ve bought quite a few tops by this label, including the pink frill sleeve top, the black version (yes I do wear black sometimes!), and a similar one in green. I thought it must be a brand that’s only available abroad, but when it started popping up on my Vinted feed I realised I could save myself some money!

The powder blue and green creates a soft, soothing colour palette that has a calming effect…

Every single top I’ve bought by this brand fits me so well and is great quality. They stretch and ping back into shape without wrinkling, making them perfect for travelling. (Oh, did I tell you – we’ve booked flights to Madeira for next month? I can’t wait!) I think I paid around 20-25 euros for my other tops, but I bought this blue one for £3.50…and it was new! I’ve paired it with the trousers from one of my favourite Monki suits, switching my usual trainers for mules with a small heel. I’m making the most of it while my toenails are painted and before the dreaded bunion op in August! The powder blue and green creates a soft, soothing colour palette that has a calming effect (I really do believe in the power of colours to influence mood).

Life lately

I may well be wearing calming hues for the next couple of weeks as the completion date on mum’s house looms closer. Dealing with removals, storage, house clearance, solicitors and estate agents is leaving me frazzled! Well, they do say that selling a house is one of the most stressful things you can do…I can see why!

Despite life being hectic, or rather because of it, I am making a real effort to workout several times a week. Since I haven’t been able to run for a while, I started doing HIIT workouts combined with heavier weight training. I can honestly say that it’s been keeping me sane (just!). Resistance training is so important in midlife to combat muscle loss. I workout at home with weights, kettlebells and by using my body weight. I now rarely have lower backache, whereas when I was running I was plagued by it. Some years ago while on a break from journalism I trained to be an exercise instructor. However, I didn’t do it for long because I was offered a staff job which I really needed, so my career in fitness was short-lived! To be honest, I didn’t fancy being sweaty in tight lycra all day anyway!